SOE
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U2 - Songs Of Experience (2017)
 Tracks: 14
  1. In my opinion SOE doesn't sound dark at all, except for a few songs. It's more of a pretty uninspired attempt to be relevant with pop radio friendly songs.
  2. I think little things, blackout and 13 are a pretty gloomy end
  3. My feelings 3 years on.

    Love is all we have left- Fine intro song. I like it.

    Lights of home- This song has really grown on me in the last 3 years. I'm into it. Album version and live version are quite different, both powerful in their own way.

    Best Thing- They obviously labored over this song for a long time, trying to concoct the perfect single for radioplay and streaming. They kinda missed the mark, but this song is still fun enough that I enjoy it.

    GOOYOW- Again, a carefully constructed song designed to be "Beautiful Day" part 2. This song is a bit of a swing and a miss for me. There are moments in it that I enjoy, but overall I could do without it.

    American Soul- Musically, I dig this song. I even dig Bono's melody, but try to ignore the corny lyrics. I hate it when Bono sucks up to America, it's possibly the most cringeworthy thing he's ever done. I'm also not a fan of recyling "Volcano" (which recycled Glastonbury), but I can live with it. All I can say is that when I saw them on the Experience Tour, this song fucking slayed! One of the biggest reactions of the night!

    Summer of Love- Still love this song, nothing bad to say about it.

    Red Flag Day- My favorite song on the album. Connects for me.

    The Showman- This song is just FUN to me. Corny lyrics/chorus? Yes. But I don't give a fuck, I just like it!

    Little Things- The album version is so flat and lifeless, I tend to just listen to the spotify version instead. This song fucking SOARED live. I'm upset that they didn't play it at the show I saw during the JT17 first leg. Instead we got "One" closing the show... again...

    Landlady- Again, corny lyrics, but it is Bono, afterall. I have no problem with this song, I like it.

    Blackout- The version that was released before the album was 10x better than the album version. So dull and flat, I was extremely disapointed with the album version.

    Love Is Bigger- I really like this song, perfect Quintessential U2 ballad, with some modern twists.

    13 (There Is A Light)- Brings it home just fine.

    Book of your heart- Soooo... WHY exactly was this a bonus track? I love the raw feeling of this track, reminds me of a Joshua Tree b-side or something!


  4. Thanks for your constructive feedback. What would your pick be then?

    For me, its maybe an age thing where my music likes and expectations from a band I've loved for 30+ years have changed...having been flabbergasted at 14 watching this man drop down to the crowd and dance with the fans at Live Aid wondering what he's upto to being blown away by WOWY when it was released to then getting married, having kids and the life trials it brings this selection of these two albums is so relatable. It maybe not be a repeat of TJT or AB (thank god) but for me it really relates to a middle aged married father and many parallels with my life. The most astonishing lyrics for me are around 2:54 to 3:07 into TLTTGYA - stress and anxiety are horrible and yet these few lines are just so true - yes I often cry just hearing these few line; for years Bad was my favourite until I heard this song.

    But each to his own and its good we have differences of opinion, it'd be nice to know what your choices would be.
  5. Guys, it's the no.1 U2 album for me. SOI on the other hand, would be somewhere in the middle of the pack.
  6. I am trying to find a radio interview from Dec 2017 where Bono and the Edge play Songs of Experience in its entirety and talk about each song with the show host or DJ. Around American Soul, think Bono complains about noise from people outside. Bono also gets a bit animated when he talks about other people and their ideas of what U2 should sound like or be. I think this may have been a podcast. Its a great listen. Thank you for forwarding or sending a PM! Stay Safe!

  7. SOE resonates with me for the exact same reasons. I feel incredibly grateful to my wife [landlady] for supporting my adventures around the world to see this band; and she is the best thing about me. I've also woken at four in the morning feeling the darkness of depression cover me in fear. And I've also watched my kids grow up and start to make their way into the world.

    I've mentioned this before, but when my youngest got married a couple of months ago she chose the acoustic version of Love Is Bigger for our dance. I don't mind admitting I got emotional as we danced because those lyrics sum up what it means for me to watch her go out and make her own life.

    Great artists have a knack for articulating what we others can't express.
  8. Lyrically it's great, musically it's a bit inconsistent. Does anyone know if 13 could/would have been called 11 or 12 if the album was shorter? To me it seems they really wanted to have 13 songs on the album so they could call the last song 13 (with all it's consequences).
  9. Originally posted by LostSailor:I am trying to find a radio interview from Dec 2017 where Bono and the Edge play Songs of Experience in its entirety and talk about each song with the show host or DJ. Around American Soul, think Bono complains about noise from people outside. Bono also gets a bit animated when he talks about other people and their ideas of what U2 should sound like or be. I think this may have been a podcast. Its a great listen. Thank you for forwarding or sending a PM! Stay Safe!
    I'll be interested to hear this too.
  10. Originally posted by Ricku2:Lyrically it's great, musically it's a bit inconsistent. Does anyone know if 13 could/would have been called 11 or 12 if the album was shorter? To me it seems they really wanted to have 13 songs on the album so they could call the last song 13 (with all it's consequences).
    I've wondered the same many times. I think they wanted to have 13 songs no matter what, and that ended up causing some fillers to be included. American Soul and The Showman aren't worthy of being included in U2 albums and the album would actually be better without them. But that would bring the album down to "only" 11 songs so it didn't fit their "agenda"

    Love Is All We Have Left
    The Blackout
    Lights of Home
    Get Out Of Your Own Way
    You're The Best Thing About Me
    Summer Of Love
    Red Flag Day
    Landlady
    The Little Things That Give You Away
    Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way
    Book Of Your Heart
    13 12 (There Is A Light)

    That's a much better album than the SOE we got.
  11. Summer of love
    Red flag Day
    The Sowman

    Is the best part of this album

  12. is the Sowman related to the Soy Bomb Boy?